


we don't always come back

by potato_post_community



Series: i don't think you'll need me [3]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017), PKNA - Paperinik New Adventures
Genre: Donald Duck was in the navy, Other, Parent Donald Duck, The Navy - Freeform, Yeah idk how to tag, references to paperinik, that's about it tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-11-02 09:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20702411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potato_post_community/pseuds/potato_post_community
Summary: Donald tells the kids about his plans to join the Navy. They don't take it very well.





	we don't always come back

Donald comes home from a long night of hero work, ribs sore and bandages shifting under his clothes. It’s more early than late, nearing four a.m. The boys will be up in two hours, Scrooge might just _ already _ be awake. Mrs. Beakley and Webby could be up. Della sleeps in late, so if he’s quiet he can slip through the house. 

His costume is packed away in the suitcase at his side, his regular clothes dirty and torn on his body. It was a rough night, Gizmoduck ended up needing to come help him rangle the idiots deciding to sell some sort of super weapons. Sometimes, Donald really _ hates _ Gizmoduck for his suit. It blocks out almost every hit, so while Donald’s left trying to pretend he’s okay, Gizmoduck can laugh everything off without anyone being any the wiser. 

If Paperinik were to bulk up, though, it’d only add more stuff to carry back home in the morning. More clutter, more worry, more of a chance for the press to catch on to him and verbally beat him up. 

Reporters don’t like superheroes. End of story. 

He’s still thinking about the Navy when he pushes open the door. Either go off and do that like he did forever ago, or stay here and wither away. Or let Donald Duck die like he wanted to, and become Paperinik until that killed him too. 

Either way, Donald was going to die and his end was not going to be pretty. Donald would get killed on an adventure, trying to protect his boys because of Della or Scrooge’s careless mistake. Paperinik was going to die at the hands of a villain, a horrible and bloody death that will leave the world wondering just who he had always been under that mask. If he joined the army, he would die in some stupid battle, there’s absolutely no way his luck _ wouldn’t _ push him to the front lines somewhere. 

Donald Duck’s chances of surviving were slim. Neither choice seemed any more favorable over the other. All three were familiar, Paperinik was a second calling, Donald Duck had a family that claimed he was needed. The army made him feel like a someone. He climbed the ranks quickly and efficiently. 

So he wasn’t sure where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. He’d figure it out, possibly. 

When he walks inside, the house is completely silent, save the flickering of a fireplace over in one of the living rooms. Against Donald’s better judgement, he peeks in to see whos awake. Mrs. Beakley normally takes the wee hours of the morning to dust, not sit by the fire. 

He sees two people sitting on the couch, whispering to each other in low voices and careful tones. Donald catches _ the Navy _ and assumes they’re talking about him. Why wouldn’t they be? It’s Della and Scrooge, the only two people who really know his plan. Without announcing himself, he slides to the floor just outside the doorway, content on listening. 

“I think he’s serious,” Della says, staring down at her lap. “He’s actually going to go through with it, Uncle Scrooge. He’s going to get _ hurt _ somehow and he might not even come back.” 

Scrooge lowers his own head, into his open palm. Dimly, he stares at the crackling fire. “You two have been butting heads since he came back,” he says instead. “Why’s that, lass?” 

“It’s not- It’s not even about us thinking he was _ dead, _ that hardly hit me until I found the Duck Avenger on that island. I- They’re my boys, aren’t they, Uncle Scrooge? The only reason why I’m back is because I had to see my boys, and I thought it’d be you and Donald taking care of them not just Donald. I was supposed to blend back into the family. But- But Donald is so much better with them-” 

“Lass, he’s raised them since they were wee babies. I’m sure he went into that like you are now, unsure and panicking and messing up. That’s parenting. It’s how I was when you and him came into my own care. One thing I know is that he won’t steal those boys from you. At the same time… He won’t back down, Della. He can’t back down and just let you take charge of them.” 

“Why _ not?_” Della cries, voice raising. She immediately slaps a hand over her beak, quieting down. “I just don't get it. Why can’t he?” 

“He’s been through too much to not be there.” 

If that’s when Donald stands up, that’s his knowledge. Only his. He steps inside the room loudly, making his presence known, as if he hadn’t been eavesdropping before. “Uncle Scrooge,” he says, even though he wasn’t going to bring it to attention, “I need your help.” 

Scrooge twists, laying a hand over the top of the couch. “With what, lad- Where’s your damn crutch?!” Donald says nothing as Scrooge pushes himself up, hurrying over to his nephew. “What’d you do, you bumbling-” 

“I think I did something to my ribs,” Donald says, soft enough for Della to not quite catch his voice. “I went out without my crutch, so I might’ve done something to my leg too.” 

The look in his uncle’s eyes asks, _ the Duck Avenger?_, and Donald returns it with a nod. “C’mon, lad, we’ll patch you up.” 

Donald looks back to see Della, staring at him. He turns to her and asks, “Did the boys settle down easy enough? What about Webby? Louie’s been having a hard time sleeping lately, you checked on them, right?” He’s not quite sure why he asks, but he knows why Della’s face hardens up. 

“They’re fine,” she says. 

Donald lets Scrooge take him by the arm and drag him away. 

Scrooge is quick and efficient with looking over Donald’s ribs, but Donald doesn’t get away without a stern scolding. He gets bandages for his legs, his crutches back, and an ice pack for his ribs. His uncle keeps the scolding short, at least. It’s a quick summary of _ don’t get hurt, be more careful, what do you think the kids will do if they see you falling apart like this. _

And then he says, “You should tell the kids about your idea. For the Navy.” 

“Today,” Donald says, and then the clock starts to tick. Soon enough, Donald’s standing before the boys, all lined up at the table. There’s one week until Donald fully decides, but it’s best to know his kids (Della’s kids) now. Launchpad joins them, Della and Scrooge decide to sit off to the side of the room. 

“I’ve got good news,” he says, and the boys sit still. “I’ve got a new job.” 

The boys at least look happy to hear that, though they’re confused. Before Scrooge, a new job would be a celebration. Go out to dinner, get ice cream. Enjoy a day together before it’s back to work. Now, Donald normally didn’t let them really know about his work, unless they asked. Besides, it’s not like it matters to them. They don’t know Donald pays for them fully. (He’s not too sure who took care of them during his months of being gone. Della has no job, and Scrooge has never stepped in before.) 

“What is it?” Huey asks. He must understand that there’s a catch. 

“I leave next week,” Donald answers instead. “I’m not sure when I’ll get back, but it’ll be a long while.” 

Launchpad leans back in his seat, looking towards the door. Webby sits beside him, beak shut and legs crossed. “What job, Mr. Duck?” she asks, sounding small. 

It’s easiest to ease them in, so he chooses to tell them, “Well, I used to be in the Navy-” 

“You?” Dewey barks. “In the Navy? What did you do before we were _ born? _ You used to be so cool, and now you’re so-” 

“Dewey,” Donald soothes. It’s rude to interrupt someone. Della locks eyes with him, but he can’t seem to read her anymore. “I’ve decided I’m going to sign back up. That way, I can finish up paying off my bills, save for your college funds, buy other things you want or need.” 

He can sense the exact moment that Dewey’s personality does a 180. Donald raised them all to know that people who were in any part of the military were brave souls. They lost and lost and _ lost, _ and didn’t always come back completely whole. He’d explained it as, the idea sounds amazing and heroic, but the reality is terrible. (Donald prays with all his heart that his boys never sign up for the military. Ever.) 

“You can’t leave!” Dewey cries. “You told us that the military is where people go to die!” 

Donald quirks up a brow, Della shoots him a particularly dirty look. (_You told my sons that?_) “I never said that, Dewey. But you’ll be fine if I go. Della’s home, I’ll be sending home money for whatever you need-” 

“So you’re just doing it for the money?” Louie asks. “Why can’t Uncle Scrooge pay for all of that stuff? He’s loaded. Or- Or Mom could get a job. People will hire her.” The ‘_because she’s not you_’ part of that isn’t vocalized, but it’s there.

“You’re my responsibility,” Donald answers. He can hear Della seethe. “Even if Della’s home. Besides, it’s not just money for you boys, it’s for my own bills, remember?” 

“Let Scrooge take care of it!” Webby cries, forcing herself up. “Let Della work! Don’t go! If you go, you’ll end up in a battle zone and it’s not going to be like our adventures! People don’t come back when they leave for the military!” 

“I’ve come back before,” he says, smoothly. He didn’t think the news would be so upsetting to them. “I’m an adult. I have to take care of my own problems-” 

Bitterly, Louie interrupts with, “We weren’t your problem and you still took care of us.”

A familiar rage expands in Donald’s gut. Louie’s _ right, _ raising these boys should have never been his job. He tries to suppress the feeling, he doesn’t dare let it out at the kids. “Scrooge won’t help,” he says, through gritted teeth. “Della isn’t working. I’m the only one here making anything to put forward for you boys-” 

That was the wrong thing to say. All of the kids- Webby included- explode in anger, screaming t Della and Scrooge. “Don’t make Uncle Donald leave!” they cry. Della looks like she’s getting angry, and Donald’s not sure how her anger computes into the real world anymore, so he has to step forth and call their yells to a close. 

“Kids!” he barks out. “It doesn’t matter! I’ve left before, haven’t I?” 

When Dewey cries, _ but you almost didn’t come back, _ Donald _ understands. _ This might- in part- be about the Navy, but it’s really about Donald’s wellbeing and the _ Moonlanders. _

He tries to repeat himself to make the boys understand. “Scrooge isn’t-” 

“Lad,” Scrooge says, and Donald nearly jumps. He’d forgotten that his uncle was here. “If it means keeping you out of that blasted hellhole, I’ll pay your damn bills. You were there for five- six years before-” 

“I was there for four,” he nearly hisses out. “I almost died so they sent me back and I bought that house. Remember? I got with Daisy, too?” 

“When it burned down, you disappeared. I figured you went back to them, or something.” 

“Figured? So you didn’t even _ care?_” Donald squawks. 

“I’m offering to let you freeload, Donald!” 

“Why? Why care now? Or- What- Just because Della’s _ back _ you have to forward the good feeling or some shit?” (_Language, _ he tells himself. _ Not in front of the kids._) “Let me guess, while I was gone, you let Della freeload too? And the boys? Just because good ol’ Donald was _ gone?_” 

“Which is a _ favor, _ you idiotic-” 

“Don’t pretend like you’re not mocking me-” 

“What the _ hell?!_” Della squawks. “Let Donnie go if he wants. The only person he’ll get killed is himself.” 

The kids chorus an insulted _ Mom! _ (And _ Della! _ from Webby.) 

“What’s wrong with the _ three _ of you?” Louie shouts. Donald clamps his beak shut. “I get that family fights, but this is just stupid! Accept Scrooge’s help, Uncle Donald! Mom, don’t you at least _ care? _ And Uncle Scrooge, it’s really the _ least _ you can do to help Donald when he’s in a tough spot?” 

“Preach, Louie,” Huey says. 

(Donald waits to submit his letter. He sends out more and more job resumes, pretends like it’s okay when Scrooge says that José and Panchito are arriving in roughly three days time.

That night, when the Duck Avenger goes around town, he’s ruthless.)

**Author's Note:**

> so here's the deal. i'll probably update once every two weeks, possibly once every week if i have enough time. all of the installments are roughly in a timeline, starting with the first installment to this one. it's more lose, so you might here references to other ones of my fics that i happen to update after the one updated first?? 
> 
> oops?? 
> 
> but uh enough of that thanks for reading, i cherish your comments, uh yeah ily guys


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